Currently, most computer users (hereinafter also referred to as “users”) receive e-mail messages through a connection between a computer and an e-mail server, in which the-e-mail server provides the user with an e-mail account. The e-mail server holds the received e-mail messages for the user, and may be installed at an ISP (Internet Service Provider), for example. Such servers usually operate according to the POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) protocol or alternatively according to the IMAP4 (Internet Message Access Protocol, version 4) protocol or any other proprietary protocol such as Microsoft MAPI for example (Microsoft Corp, USA). The computer of the user must operate an e-mail client, which is a software program for communicating with the e-mail server in order to download the e-mail messages, and then for displaying these e-mail messages to the user. The e-mail client communicates with the e-mail server according to the POP3 or IMAP4 protocol for receiving e-mail messages, and SMTP (Simple Message Transfer Protocol) for sending (or forwarding) e-mail messages.
In order for the e-mail client of the user to be permitted to send and receive messages through the e-mail server, the user must be authorized. Typically, the user must have an e-mail account at the e-mail server, and must enter a user name and password through the e-mail client for accessing the account, in order to send or receive messages. Messages which are sent to the e-mail address of the user are stored on the e-mail server, at least until the user downloads these messages through the e-mail client. The storage area on the server for each user is often referred to as a “mailbox”. Such a mailbox often has a maximum size, such as 5 MB for example. However, this fixed size is clearly disadvantageous, because the user may only wish to use 1 MB for example.
Furthermore, establishing the e-mail account for the user also involves a complex process which is inefficient. For example, a provisioning process needs to be performed before the e-mail service can be provided and the account established. This process allocates the required resources in the system of the provider, such as allocation of space in the e-mail server, allocation of a user record in the data base and so forth. The duration of this process can take between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, depending on system size, which does not include the time of the administrator who may need to manually determine such limits as the amount of overall storage space permitted, largest message size etc. Moreover, usually the storage space allocated for the user is more than the space required, as previously described.
A more efficient process would enable the e-mail account to be established rapidly and efficiently. Such a process could be particularly useful for establishing temporary e-mail accounts, in which the user needs to have access to the account for a short period of time. This process would also preferably enable the size of the storage area on the e-mail server to be determined more flexibly, at least partially according to the need of the user. Unfortunately, such a process is not currently available.